Santa Clarita, California

Awesometown

210,543

Population

Sunny Days: 280
68100 Affordability
100100 Schools
61100 Diversity
92100 Safety

California is where you get to start over. – Tracy Chevalier

Best Part About Santa Clarita?

Outdoor Activities

Most residents in California favor an active lifestyle, and locals in Santa Clarita are no exception. Yes, the weather can get uncomfortably warm in the summer months, but there is no shortage of biking, hiking, and other outdoor activities to enjoy. If you’re a hiking enthusiast, locals say Towsley Canyon Loop, Placerita Canyon, and Whitney Canyon are a must. If biking is your thing, you can bike for miles in Santa Clarita without encountering a single car. There are also bike clubs if you’re looking for an active social scene!

Here's a local with recommendations for activities in Santa Clarita:
Hiking at placerita canyon, castaic lake, hiking all around the city actually, bike rides The nature is the finest part of SCV. There isn’t much commercially to do. There is MB2 and there’s a shooting range as well. The Valencia Town Center has pretty good date night spots. Downtown Newhall has events every Thursday. Follow @whatsupscv on Instagram for good events & updates as well!! Congrats on your move!!

For more reviews of what living in Santa Clarita is like from locals check out: The Buzz

Worst Part About Santa Clarita?

Commuting

Although Santa Clarita is a suburban haven away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, if you choose to commute, you’re going to have a bad time. Over 75% of people in the area are car-dependent, which can clog the streets during the morning and evening commute. Commuting times of 90-120 minutes are not uncommon and keep your fingers crossed there are no major accidents, because that means traffic will reach an infuriating standstill.

A local discusses the horror of a commute from Santa Clarita:
It takes me an hour on a good day to get to Santa Monica from Burbank (pre-pandemic). You'd be looking at easily upwards of ninety minutes to two hours from Santa Clarita.

Lifestyle of Santa Clarita

Santa Clarita has a definite suburban feel. If you see a bird’s eye view of the city, you’ll see rows and rows of neatly stacked homes surrounded by mountains. Made up of mostly homeowners, you’ll find a lot of young professionals and families here, either working from home or commuting into LA every day. On the weekends, locals will be planning trips to Santa Monica or Ventura for some beach time or out in the many parks with family enjoying the nice weather.

Check out the Santa Clarita calendar of events to see what happens here: https://calendar.santa-clarita.com/

Workstyle of Santa Clarita

Santa Clarita is known as a commuter town, with many people driving to LA for work during the week. Out of the employers in the city, most people work in health care, retail, film, or education. Unemployment in the city is lower than both the California and national average, with companies like Princess Cruises and Honda Performance Development calling Santa Clarita home. One of the biggest employers in the city is the popular Six Flags Magic Mountain just outside city limits.

Why You Should Move Here Now?

SoCal Life (but work from home)

Santa Clarita is a great place to raise a family and an even greater place to escape from the LA lifestyle if you’ve recently started working remotely. It’s seen its fair share of growth over the past decade and will only continue to grow. If you crave a social, active community to call home, then Santa Clarita is for you!

Neighborhoods in Santa Clarita

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Canyon Country

Young Professionals

Many young professionals choose Santa Clarita for the quiet suburban life and proximity to outdoor activities. If you’re looking for diverse housing options, great restaurants, and close proximity to hiking and biking trails, check
out these neighborhoods:

  • Canyon Country
  • Newhall

Saugus

Young Families

Young families will find no shortage of great neighborhoods in Santa Clarita. With a ton of neighborhoods with beautiful homes that are all within driving distance to great restaurants and parks, there’s no wrong choice for a young family looking for their first home:

  • Newhall
  • Saugus

Valencia

Established Families

Families with older kids will want to be close to outdoor activities, amenities, and have enough room to settle down. Santa Clarita has no shortage of great communities, mostly master-planned suburbs, to choose from:

  • Valencia
  • Castaic
  • Stevenson Ranch

Newhall

Empty Nesters / Retirees

If you’re an outdoors person who has finally rid themselves of the 9-5 life, you’ll find an oasis waiting for you in Santa Clarita. It’s a safe, family friendly neighborhood, perfect for when the grandkids come to visit. If you’re looking for active neighborhoods close to the action, check these spots out:

  • Newhall
  • Valencia